The commercial raising of poultry has traditionally been done in poultry brooding houses, i.e., confined areas having little ventilation where flocks are maintained singly in cages or as a group in large pens. The health and growth of broiler chickens in particular, are enhanced when the young birds are raised in large pens containing bedding or litter material. However, in the rearing of young birds, the maintenance and sanitary quality of the litter remain problematic issues.
For example, under the crowded and confined conditions of a poultry brooding house, the excrement of the young birds collects rapidly and becomes quite malodorous. Warmth and moisture from the excrement create an environment that supports rampant bacterial growth in the soiled poultry litter. In turn, the bacteria enzymatically digest the excrement, and in so doing create ammonia by-products which are released into the environment. When ammonia levels exceed about 25 ppm, the normal respiratory function of the young birds is impaired.
Under these low ventilation conditions present in poultry brooding houses, the ammonia levels can climb to more than 40-90 parts per million (ppm) and can reduce growth performance of the young birds. In addition, when one or more of the young birds become diseased, the illness can be spread easily through the flock by the excrement or contaminated litter which the birds sometimes ingest. These issues are of serious concern to the poultry farmer.
In order to create a more favorable environment for the young birds, numerous materials have been utilized as poultry litter with limited success. Wood shavings, straw, and sawdust have been used for this purpose, though each is easily dampened and slow to dry, thereby creating a favorable breeding environment for microorganisms. Also, these materials when soiled can be fatal to the young birds if ingested. Another drawback to these materials is the frequency with which they have to be removed and replenished along with the time and expense involved in doing so.
Peat moss is another material that has been used as an alternative to wood shavings or straw as litter. Though peat moss has a high absorption capacity, it readily breaks down to a dust which is ineffective as litter. Likewise, diatomaceous earth has been tried, though like peat moss, quickly decomposes to a dust which can irritate the pulmonary system of the young birds. Also, the dust can cause the young birds develop breast blisters and to become crippled by the caking action of the dust upon the damp pads of the birds feet.
In addition to the litter itself, chemical additives have been developed which can reduce bacterial growth in soiled litter when mixed in with such litter. By this bacteriostatic action, these additives concurrently reduce the amount of ammonia generated from the decaying poultry excrement. Examples of such chemical additives for litter include phosphoric acid, sodium bisulfate, alum, and monocalcium phosphate.
There are drawbacks to these prior art additives, however. For instance, most additives are expensive and difficult to apply to the litter bedding or require activation for use. Sodium bisulfate containing products, for example, must be activated by misting with water to achieve and maintain effectiveness. Phosphoric acid, for example, is commonly applied to litter by directly spraying the litter with a 50% aqueous solution of phosphoric acid onto the litter which is situated on the floor of the poultry brooding house at a time period immediately before new chicks are introduced to the pen. This operation requires specialized equipment (e.g., high pressure spraying systems) and presents hazards to the workers who are on site. Usually, firms specializing in this type of work are contracted for the procedure, and as such, are costly to the poultry farmer.
The present invention provides an acidulated clay-based litter which, when used in poultry brooding houses, controls the amount of ammonia present and improves the growth performance of the young birds.